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Post-Philosophy Statement Assignment

Christine Phan

College of Southern Nevada

EDU 203: Introduction to Special Education

Dr. Dale B. Warby

October 9, 2023
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Post-Philosophy Statement

The understanding of special education is an ongoing practice that has been evolving

through the years. Educators throughout the years have been adapting to these ongoing practices.

The terminology of special education has changed our understanding of disabilities and the way

to get help. Many decades ago, the door to public education was closed for students with

intellectual disabilities. Until the 1970s, the education system included inclusive education for

children with intellectual disabilities and passed the 4 laws for children with disabilities, that

includes The Education for All Handicapped Children Act, IDEA, The Assistive Technology Act,

and The Handicapped Children’s Protection Act. These changes throughout the decades and yet,

still, today have happened through the law and legal action, medical research, and even adapting

and understanding the challenges by educators.

As I compare my pre-philosophy to my current philosophy, my previous philosophy

statement expresses my desire to be a teacher that all my future pupils will remember, which

continues to be my goal. It was eight weeks ago when I first started taking the Introduction to

Special Education course. Throughout the eight-week course, I have been provided incredible

insight into the world of special education and deepened my understanding of the field in which I

am pursuing my career. Enrolling in the education course for special education has opened my

eyes and heart to pupils in special programs. When I started this course, my understanding of

what it takes to be a special educator was very naïve and I did not know a whole lot about special

education in the school system. I used to believe that the failure of the education system was the

procrastination, and limited support in our system of educators. It has also taught me a lot about

the different types of disabilities, the types of planning incorporated in pupils who have a

disorder being enrolled into a school, and how each disability has different categories. Before
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taking this course, I only knew about special education in school. Now, I feel that I have a good

foundation and understanding of special education, such as the different steps to take, and the

IEP needs to be set by parents and school officials. It is also clear to me that special education is

a complex team of individuals who are willing to help face challenges. Throughout the weekly

lessons as well as the hands-on experience during my field observation, I am no doubt

completing this semester with a more complex outlook of my personal philosophy on education.

With all the aspects of my personal philosophy, I still hold deeply to the belief that there is no

such thing as a disability, but instead a difference among people.

Ensuring that the pupils’ ability to learn is an incredibly important aspect of teaching. I

believe that having skills in communication, adaptability, and empathy is also important. This

requires educators to have the ability to adapt quickly and provide options for each pupil, or in

the classroom. In further learning about special education and the pupils' behavior, I believe that

I should have these skills to be able to adapt in my classroom. Teaching pupils in a classroom, it

is known that not all pupils learn the same way, which requires the teacher to present information

in a way that reaches every student. Thus, it is imperative that I manage my time in my

classroom so that I can help each pupil individually, in a group, or as a whole class. Teachers

must be able to determine how to assess what the students know, and how to be able to engage

them in lessons. For instance, some pupils learn best through individual bookwork, while other

pupils learn better through active group work. In addition, I have expanded my knowledge and

insight on the term “collaboration” in school and in general. Collaboration is a term I now

consider as collaborating with the students as well as with the parents. Staying in contact with

the parents would benefit the pupil academically as well as mentally. If the parents are involved

or show interest in their child’s education, it would motivate the child to strive academically.
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In the Field Observation portion of this course, I had a particular impact in developing

what my beliefs will make up as an educator in general education or special education. I was

grateful to be able to have the opportunity to shadow a Pre-K teacher, Ms. Pacl. During the

observation in the classroom, Ms. Pacl changed her information delivery method depending on

the pupils’ needs. For instance, Ms. Pacl would break the pupils into 3 groups, of which 1 group

would be using the iPad for learning games, another group would be with her working on group

assignments, and the last group would be with the classroom aid for snacks and reading. While

watching the pupils work together with one another, I truly admired how Ms. Pacl worked with

the students by making them feel included and not excluded from the other peers. I also admired

that she was patient, caring, and warm to her pupils with and without disabilities, and I hope to

follow a similar attitude in my classroom. I was able to also recognize that since the classroom

is a Pre-K classroom with a SPED program, I was able to recognize the different abilities and

plan to adapt to fit my pupils’ needs to ensure that every student is learning. This observation

allowed me to not only observe the classroom, students, and teachers, but it allowed me to put

her teaching and advice into action as I learned to work with students in her classroom as well as

in my classroom.

Throughout the course and field observation, knowing what I know about the role and

challenges that it takes for an individual to be a special educator, I planned to continue furthering

my education in this outgoing field. Furthermore, as I emphasized in my pre-philosophy the

importance of making my pupils feel included, I still intend to implement it. To be able to

improve this value, I believe that their peers should include them in group activities, as a whole

class, or even outside of the classroom. When we look at the pupils in the classroom, all they

want to do is have fun with their peers and learn effectively, while some pupils, however, are
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viewed differently because of their behaviors, which can lead to their peers not accepting them.

As a future teacher, I aim to make all my pupils feel included and encourage the other pupils to

make their peers feel included. It is important to be able to have the pupils express themselves

freely in the classroom without any judgment, because at a young age, children are easily

influenced, especially with those around them. On the other hand, in a classroom where the

pupils can be more comfortable, the pupils will most likely participate in class activities or

lessons, and if they make a mistake, they won't feel embarrassed over it because I want to make

my classroom a safe place with no judgment. When the pupils know that they made a mistake,

they will be able to realize that it is okay to make mistakes, which makes it part of what learning

is about rather than viewing it negatively. For example, during my field observation, I noticed the

pupils were all engaging in the class activity as a whole and when the student made an incorrect

selection, the teacher did not make them feel embarrassed or left out, instead, the teacher

encouraged the student to try again and once the student was able to select the correct answer, the

teacher supported them, had given them positive feedbacks, and the student proceeds to go back

to their seating chair with a smile on their face.

After reading the chapters that the course provided, one of the chapters talks about

aggressive behavior and how it is a type of disability that many children struggle with. Many

times, the children or individuals are not receiving enough proper assistance because people

believe that when someone has an aggressive behavior, they are able to control it. When reading

the chapter, the first thing that comes to mind when a child is acting out is because they are just

kids being kids, but the more I read into the chapter, the more I learn that children who act out

are unable to control their actions. My ultimate goal as a teacher for my future pupils is for them

to feel heard and be able to feel like they belong in this world and have so much to contribute.
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That is why I prefer to use the term difference over the term disability because due to the

negative connotation that can associated with the term disability and the inability to learn with

the environment. On the other hand, the term difference simply implies that one’s way of

learning is different from their peers. In fact, in every school, all the pupils, regardless of their

learning differences, the pupils are capable of learning and reaching their highest potential. To be

able to make my future pupils feel heard and belong, I believe educators should educate their

other pupils on the differences and celebrate the differences as well as their exceptionalities

qualities that all unique pupils have.

Furthermore, in a classroom that focuses on special education or general education, it is

important that teachers provide the pupils with learning opportunities that are tailored to their

needs to succeed. To be a great teacher, I believe that every student should be treated with respect

and with open arms regardless of their differences. With pupils who are different from others,

teachers should be extra understanding, attentive, softhearted, and supportive of them. In

addition, teachers in special education or general education should apply them to their

classrooms as well. Regardless of their difference, I truly believe that all pupils should be treated

equally, despite their differences and appearances. If there are any difficulties, reach out to the

guardians and talk with them. Teachers in general, especially those that teach special education

would handle situations where the student in the program would not comply with the rules, but

the teachers must be able to remain professional. When working with students who have learning

differences, teachers must remember that the student’s learning style may be different from their

own, however, that does not mean that it is incorrect or that the student is intentionally being

disrespectful. We as teachers or future teachers must work together and place ourselves in all the
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students' shoes, with or without learning differences, to see where they are coming from and how

we as teachers can exercise patience when working with them to help them understand best.

Additionally, students with learning differences, I believe learn best when they are in a

comfortable and friendly environment, and this applies to all the other pupils. Teachers must be

able to understand, adapt, and be considerate and patient towards their pupils. Teachers should

create fun, but also informative activities that can aid the pupils while they are having fun and

staying educated at the same time. For instance, rewarding the students with treats, star stickers,

or even a homework pass. It is also important for teachers to understand that motivation does not

mean that the student will be able to understand the materials being taught or even get the correct

answer right away. For example, students with learning differences may need a longer time to

process questions and give the answers, however, it does not mean that the student does not

know the answer. I also believe that students with learning differences learn best when they work

at their own pace and use a multisensory approach. Having the student be able to work at their

own pace and use multisensory activities can help the student be able to adapt to the activities

and be able to comprehend them. Teachers should gather together to help create a visual

demonstration to present to the class, that way the students are able to hear and learn the

materials. Lastly, I believe that students learn best when they are working with their peers or as a

group, because during my observation, the students in the Pre-K SPED Program worked in

groups, and being able to see the students work together and encourage and support one another

regardless of their learning differences was very heartwarming.

Overall, as I look back at my pre-philosophy assignment and my current one, it did

change a bit and has significantly improved. In my role as a future teacher, it is important to

promote the students’ success and show solicitity to all the pupils. I have enjoyed this
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introduction to special education and look forward to the upcoming years. In the future, I aim to

apply to be a teacher’s assistant at my son’s future elementary school. I am eager to continue to

gain more experience and build from my 10 hours of observation and I look forward to my

career working with students who have learning differences. In fact, as educators, there is more

to learn and we will still continue to learn as the years go. As this is my current education

philosophy, it is one of many drafts that I will continue to work on and improve on in the

upcoming years. The knowledge and experiences that I have gained through this course and field

observation have shaped not just one but many of my philosophies today.